HOCKEY EAST HEADLINES

Boston University earned wins against two nationally-ranked league opponents last week, including a 6-4 win at UMass, to keep pace in the Army ROTC Hockey East Standings. The Terriers sit just four points back of second place and five out of first entering the final full month of Hockey East play. BU is now 9-1-1 in their last 11 outings.

UConn went 2-1-0 in three outings last week, including a 3-2 win over Merrimack on Tuesday. The Huskies then split in the CT Ice Tournament, thanks in part to Vladislav Firstov who had two goals and an assist to lead the Huskies to a 5-1 win over Yale in the semifinals. It was his second multi-goal game of the season. Darion Hanson made 53 saves on 55 shots he faced in the annual tournament of Connecticut’s four men’s Division I teams.

Maine took a 4-1 victory over Boston College on Friday night, the Black Bears’ first regulation win in league play this season. Grant Hebert powered the Black Bears offense, scoring two third-period goals and adding an assist on the game’s opening strike. He finished a plus-four on the day and was named Hockey East Player of the Week for his efforts.

UMass Lowell split two games last week, taking a 2-1 win at Northeastern before dropping a tightly contested match up at home against Massachusetts. Matt Crasa led the River Hawks, finishing with two goals, a plus-one rating and one blocked shot. He netted an unassisted game-winner on Friday against the Huskies to lift the River Hawks to a 2-1 victory on the road and tallied a power-play goal on Sunday in a close 4-3 loss to Massachusetts.

HOCKEY EAST PLAYER OF THE WEEK

Grant Hebert - Maine

Grant Hebert (Sr., F; St. Andrews West, Ont.) powered the Black Bears offense to a 4-1 victory over Boston College on Friday, scoring two third-period goals and adding an assist on the game’s opening strike. He finished a plus-four on the day.

PRO AMBITIONS ROOKIE OF THE WEEK

Riley Duran - Proidence

Riley Duran (Fr., F; Woburn, Mass.) scored both of Providence’s goals in the third period of Friday night’s 2-1 win at No. 9/8 UMass. The game-winning goal was scored just nine seconds after UMass tied the game and came with just 3:42 remaining in the final frame. Over two games, Duran recorded seven shots on goal.

HOCKEY EAST DEFENDER OF THE WEEK

Domenick Fensore - Boston University

Domenick Fensore (Jr., D; Thornwood, N.Y.) lit the lamp in a 5-2 win over No. 17 Providence and finished the week as a plus-four with six shots on goal and two blocks as he anchored a Terrier defense that claimed wins over two nationally-ranked league opponents and is now 7-1-0 in their last eight while allowing more than two goals just once in that span.

HOCKEY EAST GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Darion Hanson - UConn

Darion Hanson (Gr., G; East Bethel, Minn.) went 2-1-0 in three out- ings week, including a 1-1-0 mark over the weekend at the Connecticut Ice Tournament, making 53 saves on 55 shots he faced against his in-states rivals. He shutout both Yale and Quinnipiac for two periods, toppling the Bulldogs in a 5-1 win, before holding the Bobcats scoreless into the third period and allowing just one goal against in an eventual 2-0 setback. On Tuesday, he denied 18 Merrimack attempts in a 3-2 Hockey East victory.

HOCKEY EAST TOP PERFORMERS

Wilmer Skoog, BU (Jr., F; Tyresö, Sweden) Scored two goals, including a quick-shot goal directly off a faceoff, in the Terriers’ 5-2 win over No. 17 Providence on Sunday. Skoog opened the scoring just 1:29 into the proceedings while his highlight-reel goal in the third period proved to be the eventual-game winner. Skoog also had an assist in Tuesday’s 6-4 win at No. 9/8 UMass. Skoog, who led the Terriers with three points, finished the weekend as a plus-three.

Tristan Amonte, BU (Fr., F; Norwell, Mass.) Had the primary helper on Wilmer Skoog’s opening goal in a 5-2 win over No. 17 Providence on Sunday. He made a great defensive play in his own end, winning a battle and knocking the puck out of the zone and into the path of Skoog, who finished the play with a goal. Amonte was a plus-2 for the weekend.

Vladislav Firstov, UConn (Jr., F; Yaroslavl, Russia) Had two goals and an assist to lead the Huskies to a 5-1 win over Yale in the CT Ice tournament. It was his second multi-goal game of the season.

Matt Crasa, UML (Fr., F; South Setauket, N.Y.) Led the River Hawks to a weekend split against Northeastern and Massachusetts, finishing with two goals, a plus-one rating and one blocked shot. He netted an unassisted game-winner on Friday against the Huskies to lift the River Hawks to a 2-1 victory on the road and tallied a power-play goal on Sunday in a close 4-3 loss to Massachusetts.

Brehdan Engum, UML (So., D; Burnsville, Minn.) Finished the weekend with two assists, a plus-one rating and four blocked shots. The sophomore defenseman registered an assist on the River Hawks’ first goal of the night in a 2-1 win over Northeastern on Friday and dished out another helper on Sunday. He made three blocks in a closely contested loss to Massachusetts.

TJ Semptimphelter, NU (Fr., G; Marlton, N.J.) In his first career start, the rookie made 30 saves setting his career high, in a 2-1 loss to UMass Lowell on Friday.

Gabe Carriere, UVM (So., G; Ottawa, Ont.) Kicked out all 21 shots he faced on Friday against Alaska for his second shutout of the season.